This is mainly a compilation of the visits to various holy places that we have been to recently. This blog started as a result of my wish to document these visits and help other like minded people to reach there easily, prepare them with some information about the place so that the experience will be enriched .

Monday, August 9, 2010

Shri Dharaneeshwarar Kamakshi Temple at Thandalam

Thandalam is the quaint village where the young boy Sankaranarayanan who has now become Shri Sankara Vijayendra saraswathy the 70 th pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakshi peetam grew up initially . The elementary school where he studied remembers him with pride and gratitude as seen by the painting on the wall. The painting is on the wall of the classroom where he used to study( again very authentic source)
Thandalam is also a lush green village which has the Dharanishwarar koil
The temple is nestled in acres of lush fertile land and is a very peaceful place to visit
view from the main gate : a walk down leads to the main temple

The main sannidhi houses a huge Shivalingam “Shri Dharanishwarar”. There is a separate Sanctum for Goddess Kamakshi just outside the main sanctum . The goddess is in the standing form .This sculpture resembles the goddess sculpture at Suruttapali and it is thought that the same shilpi sculpted both in Krishnadevaraya’s time.
After pradakshinam we come occross a stand alone Bhairavar
At the place where Bhairavar stands when it was dug up a lot of sculptures including navagrahas were found. They are being readied for consecration. A couple of Shiva's can be seen kept in the background from the retrieved vigrahas
Just near the gate is an enclosed navagraha sannidhi. The whole place was so peaceful that i could not bear to go to my next destination “Suruttapalli” But the trip beckons!